


Radiant As The Sun

by live_laugh_read



Series: Billabong Missing Moments [7]
Category: Billabong Series - Mary Grant Bruce
Genre: F/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 03:28:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6140068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/live_laugh_read/pseuds/live_laugh_read
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wally Meadows' perspective of his wedding to Norah Linton.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Radiant As The Sun

Jim and Wally walked through the long room, giving a quick nod and smile to guests here and there, people who had come from far and near to share in this triumphant day. Eventually they reached the top of the room, greeting Mr Carrington with handshakes, as the old clergyman beamed upon the two tall figures in dark suits and ties.

The first stroke of midday boomed out on the grandfather clock in the hall, and the boys turned. A hushed silence had fallen over the congregation, and as each stroke rang out and then slowly died away, Wally felt nervousness building in his stomach. Jim picked up on this and put a hand on the younger man’s shoulder, whispering in his ear, “You won’t mess it up, mate. Stand tall.”

Eleven strokes, then twelve. It was the last stroke that seemed to last the longest, and then old Andy Ferguson, at the front of the room near the side wall, struck up the Bride’s Fanfare on his fiddle. Traditionally, it would be done with a trumpet, but Andy was the first choice for a musician for the ceremony, being an old and dear friend of the Lintons. 

At the opposite end of the room, the great double doors opened, swinging wide to allow David Linton and his daughter to gain access. After a quick glance at David, seeing the older man looking very different to normal attire in a suit, Wally’s eyes were drawn to Norah, and he seemed unable to look away. The moment he saw her, all of his doubt fell away, and he knew this was it. 

She was beautiful, in a white gown with no veil, a silver tiara resting in her brown hair, which was caught up in a bun. In her free hand she held a bouquet of flowers, and Wally recognised at once two native flowers of Queensland in the middle, a tribute to his parents which made him love her all the more. Her normally steadfast grey eyes were dancing, and he watched as she gave a couple of guests a smile - old school-friends of both his and hers, former maids in the Billabong service from when she had been young.

Then their eyes met, and nothing else mattered except each other. It felt an age until she stopped before him, she and her father exchanging a kiss on the cheek before, in a gesture as old as Time itself, David unwrapped her hand from his arm and rested it in Wally’s outstretched one. “Look after her,” David said quietly. 

“Always.” David withdrew to his seat, and Wally and Norah turned to face Mr Carrington. Her hand was tight in his, and they smiled at each other, barely registering the dulcet tones of Mr Carrington’s opening address. Norah was as radiant as the sun, and it made Wally’s heart ache to think of how much he loved her. 

And then, it was time. Norah handed her bouquet to Jean Yorke, behind her, and they turned to face one another.

“I, Walter Richard, take you, Norah Mary,” Wally started, grasping both her hands in his, feeling her hands shaking, “to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and honour, till death us do part, according to God's holy law, and this is my solemn vow.” 

His bride gave him a tender smile, before starting her vows. “I, Norah Mary, take you, Walter Richard, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy law, and this is my solemn vow.” 

Mr Carrington indicated to Jim, who stepped forward and handed Wally the plain gold wedding ring, and he turned back to face Norah after mouthing “thank you” to Jim. With one hand, he lifted Norah’s left hand and gently slid the ring on her fourth finger. “With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” 

Wally having chosen to wear a wedding ring, Norah returned the gesture, and then their eyes met again. Dimly, Wally heard Mr Carrington say, “Captain, you may kiss the bride.”

One hand still holding hers, the other cupping her cheek, their lips met and Wally smiled against her lips. They broke apart, foreheads touching, and Wally whispered, “We made it.”

“I know,” she murmured, “and the sad thing is, this is probably going to be the only time I can kiss you on an even level, because I’m wearing heels and normally you’re three inches taller than me.” 

He laughed at that, and they turned toward the congregation, Jean returning Norah’s bouquet as the latter slipped her arm through Wally’s. He held her hand tight on his arm with his free hand, so she would not stumble, and they smiled at each other again as Mr Carrington’s final benediction rang out. “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you for the first time - Captain and Mrs. Walter Meadows.” 

Applause rang from the congregation, and the two began to advance down the aisle. When they reached the front row of seats, however, they stopped with one accord to hug a teary Brownie, before moving on. Once past the double doors at the opposite end, they looked at each other and laughed, Norah catching Wally’s lips in a quick kiss before everyone else came out. “I love you, so much,” she said. 

“I love you too, Norah, asthore,” Wally replied, unable to keep his smile from stretching from ear to ear. This was it: forever and a day.

**Author's Note:**

> I already posted a wedding missing scene, but I was asked to post one from Wally's perspective, so here it is!


End file.
